JPH0731820Y2 - Prize ball shortage detection device for pachinko game machines - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a prize ball shortage detection device for a pachinko game machine for detecting a shortage of pachinko balls stored in a prize ball storage tank. Regarding

(Prior Art) In a pachinko game machine, it is usual that the pachinko balls, which are prize balls, are supplied indirectly from the ball supply device to the pachinko machine, not directly. That is, the pachinko balls from the ball supply device are temporarily stored in the prize ball storage tank provided on the back side of the pachinko machine, and then the stored pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko machine. This is because the ball feeder that supplies the pachinko balls to the pachinko machine generally adopts the natural drop method that utilizes the weight of the pachinko machine itself, so such a ball feeder can directly drive the pachinko machine to the pachinko machine. This is because if the balls are supplied, for example, when the pachinko balls are continuously released from the pachinko machine such as when a special prize occurs, the supply of the pachinko balls to the pachinko machine may not be overtaken. . Therefore, a predetermined number of pachinko balls are stored in the prize ball storage tank in order to deal with the above situation, and as a device for that, it is detected that the pachinko balls stored in the prize ball storage tank are insufficient. An award ball shortage detection device is provided for this purpose. An example of the detecting device is schematically shown in FIG. That is, on the back side of a pachinko machine (not shown), a prize ball storage tank 1 connected to the pachinko machine is arranged, and the prize ball storage tank 1 stores the pachinko balls supplied from the ball supply device 2. The stored pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko machine. Now, at a predetermined position of the prize ball storage tank 1, a prize ball shortage detection device for detecting a shortage of pachinko balls is arranged. This prize ball shortage detection device is configured by a limit switch 5 that holds the operating plate 3 by a coil spring 4 at a predetermined angle and turns it on and off according to the degree of inclination of the operating plate 3.
When the operating plate 3 is positioned at the predetermined angle shown in FIG. 6, the limit switch 5 is off, so the ball supply device 2 is driven to supply the prize ball storage tank 1 with the pachinko balls. Then, as the pachinko balls are stored in the prize ball storage tank 1, the pachinko balls come to be located on the upper surface of the operating plate 3, and finally the operating plate 3 is lowered by the weight of the pachinko balls and the limit is reached. The switch 5 turns on. Therefore,
By stopping the ball supply device 2 when the limit switch 5 is turned on, the supply of pachinko balls to the tank 1 is stopped, so that it is possible to always store a substantially constant amount of pachinko balls in the prize ball storage tank 1. it can.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, according to the above-described detection device, although it is possible to store a substantially constant amount of pachinko balls in the prize ball storage tank 1, the operation plate 3 operates in the upper surface thereof. In addition to the urging force of the pachinko ball and compression coil spring 4 located at, the operation is affected by the weight of itself, so that the limit switch 5 is stored in the tank 1 when it is turned on and off. There is a tendency that variations in the number of pachinko balls that are present tend to become large. In this way, when the variation of pachinko balls stored in the tank is large,
Ball supply signal output from the ball supply device 2 (ball supply device 2
It is difficult to accurately grasp the operating status of the pachinko machine with a system that attempts to detect the supply timing and number of pachinko balls supplied to the pachinko machine based on (the number of pachinko machines that have passed through). Become.

Further, when the limit switch 2 is provided at the outlet of the prize ball storage tank 1 as shown in FIG. 7, the reduction of the number of pachinko balls stored at the outlet is quickly dealt with as described above. Although the problem can be dealt with, when the pachinko balls are continuously discharged from the pachinko machine, the supply of the pachinko balls to the tank 1 from the ball supply device 2 is not in time, and the pachinko balls are not discharged from the pachinko machine. There is a risk of causing a situation. In this case, it seems that the limit switch 7 should be mounted above the inside of the tank 1, but this makes it impossible to quickly respond to the shortage of pachinko balls, and eventually causes the same problem as the above case. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to store a predetermined number of pachinko balls in an award ball storage tank and quickly detect that the stored pachinko balls are insufficient. It is to provide a prize shortage detection device.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) A prize ball shortage detection device for a pachinko game machine according to the present invention stores a predetermined number of pachinko balls that are arranged in a prize ball storage tank and are supplied to the tank. An apparatus main body having a ball passage for sending the stored pachinko balls to the pachinko machine is provided, and a response member that moves upward according to the number of the stored pachinko balls is located above the ball passage in the apparatus main body. Thus, a detection switch that is turned on / off in response to the upward movement of the response member is provided.

Further, the bottom surface of the prize ball storage tank may be used as the bottom surface of the ball passage of the apparatus body.

(Operation) When a pachinko ball is supplied to the prize ball storage tank, the pachinko ball passes through the ball passage of the apparatus main body arranged in the tank. Then, when a predetermined number of pachinko balls are supplied into the tank, the pachinko balls move the response member upward,
In response to this, the detection switch is turned on, for example. Further, when the number of pachinko balls is sent out from the tank to be less than the predetermined number, the reaction member immediately moves downward due to its own weight, and the detection switch is turned off accordingly. Therefore, the number of pachinko balls supplied to the tank can be maintained at a predetermined number based on the on / off state of the detection switch.

Further, when the bottom surface of the prize body storage tank is used as the bottom surface of the device body, the pachinko balls supplied to the device body are detected when they are received by the prize ball storage tank and then pass through the ball passage.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

In FIG. 4, 11 is a container-shaped prize ball storage tank provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 12, which is connected to the pachinko machine 12 via a connection passage 11a. Reference numeral 13 is a ball supply device arranged above the tank 12, which is adapted to drop the pachinko ball into the tank 11 by utilizing the weight of the pachinko ball itself. That is, the passage 14 that guides the pachinko balls.
Faces the tank 11, and a sprocket-shaped rotating body 15 is arranged in the middle of the passage 14 so as to close the passage. A semi-circular depression is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body 15 to prevent the pachinko ball guided by the passage 14 from falling, and when the blocked pachinko ball is located in the depression. It rotates by the weight of the pachinko balls themselves and guides the pachinko balls downward one by one. In this case, for example, the rotating body 15 rotates a pachinko ball every one rotation.
It is designed to guide 10 pieces downward. Reference numeral 16 denotes a switch that is turned on each time the rotating body 15 makes one revolution, one end of which is connected to the power supply line 17 and the other end of which is connected to the hall computer 18. Output a count signal. Reference numeral 19 denotes a control solenoid, which is driven under the control of the hall computer 17, and in its non-driving state, a locking pin (not shown) is projected to restrict the rotation of the rotating body 15, In the driven state, the locking pin is retracted to allow the rotating body 15 to rotate. 20 is an out counter for counting the number of out balls ejected from the out ball ejecting section. This is the same as the above-mentioned ball supply device 13, in which the pachinko balls passing through the passage 21 by the rotation of the rotating body 22 are moved downward one by one. It is designed to guide you. twenty three
Is a limit switch that is turned on each time the rotating body 21 makes one revolution. One end of the limit switch is connected to the power supply line 17 and the other end is connected to the hall computer 18. In the ON state, the limit switch is connected to the hall computer 18. Output the out count signal.

Now, a prize ball shortage detecting device is arranged at a predetermined position on the bottom surface 11b of the tank 11, which will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. That is, 24 is a container-shaped device body, in which a ball inlet 25 opening upward and a ball outlet 26 opening sideways are formed.
A ball passage 27 is formed by a communication passage from 25 to the ball outlet 26. An opening 29 is formed in the upper plate 28 of the apparatus body, and a response member 30 is arranged in the opening 29 so as to close the opening 29. That is, the response member 30 is composed of a swing cage-shaped rotating portion 31 and a wing portion 32 fixed to the lower portion thereof, and one end of the rotating portion 31 is pivotally supported by a pivot portion 33 of the upper plate 28. This response member is
30 can swing above the ball passage 27. In this case, the other end of the rotating portion 31 is locked to the edge portion of the upper plate 28, so that the responding member 30 is at the lower limit position where movement below the pivotal support portion 33 is blocked. Yes, it can only move upward from its lower limit position. On the other hand, a limit switch 34 is a detection switch, which is mounted on a fixed plate 35 provided upright on the upper plate 28, and when the response member 30 is at the lower limit position, its contact is turned on and the response member 30 When is moved upward from the lower limit position by a predetermined angle, the road portion 31 comes into contact with the operator 34a to turn off the contact. One end of the contacts of the limit switch 34 is connected to the power supply line 36 via the control solenoid 19, and the other end is connected to the hall computer 18.
When the contact of the limit switch 34 is on, an empty detection signal is output to the hall computer 18. In addition, in the device body 24, the ball inlet 25 of the device body 24 is a ball supply device.
It is arranged at a predetermined position in the tank 11 so as to be located just below the passage 14 of 13.

The hall computer 18 inputs the safe count signal output from the ball supply device 13 and the out count signal output from the out counter 20, and also inputs the sky detection signal output from the limit switch 34. The number of safe balls and the number of out balls are calculated based on the input of each of the signals, and when the empty detection signal is input, the control solenoid 19 is driven via the contact of the limit switch 34. Has become.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

A predetermined number of pachinko balls are stored in the prize ball storage tank 11 when the player is not playing on the pachinko machine or when the pachinko balls as prize balls have not been released from the pachinko machine for a long time. It is in a state. That is, the pachinko balls are previously supplied from the ball supply device 13 into the device body 24, and in that state, the pachinko balls are positioned in the ball passage 27 of the device body 24 and the wing portion 32 of the response member 30 is lifted upward. ing.
As a result, the operator 34a of the limit switch 34 turns the rotary unit 3
The contact is off because it was moved by 1.
Therefore, since the empty switch detection signal is not output from the limit switch 34, the hall computer 18 does not drive the control solenoid 19 and thus the rotating body of the ball supply device 13
The rotation of 15 is restricted.

Now, when a pachinko ball is released as a prize ball from the pachinko machine according to the progress of the game, the connection passage 11
Pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko machine 12 through a. Then, the number of pachinko balls stored in the device main body 24 decreases, and accordingly, the pachinko balls located in the ball passage 27 move toward the ball outlet 26, and finally the wing portion of the response member 30.
There is no pachinko ball below 32. This allows
Wings that had been moved upwards by pachinko balls until then
32 moves immediately downward due to the weight of the response member 30,
The tip of the rotating portion 31 is locked to the edge of the upper plate 28. As a result,
Since the response member 30 is located at the lower limit position, the limit switch 34 is turned on, and in response to this, an empty detection signal is output from the limit switch 34 to the hall computer 18. Therefore, the hall computer 18 drives the solenoid 19 via the limit switch 34, and accordingly the ball supply device 13
The rotating body 15 of the ball is free to rotate, so that the ball feeding device 13
Pachinko balls are supplied into the tank 11 from. At this time,
A safe count signal is output to the hall computer 18 every time the rotating body 21 makes one revolution, and based on this, the hall computer 18 supplies the pachinko balls from the ball supply device 13 to the tank 11 and the pachinko at that time. Count the number of balls. Then, the pachinko balls supplied to the tank 11 move from the ball inlet 25 of the apparatus main body 24 to the ball passage 27 and are stored there. Then, when a predetermined number of pachinko balls are stored in the ball passage 27, the pachinko balls come to be positioned below the wing portion 32 of the response member 30, whereby the wing portion 32 is pushed up by the pachinko balls. Then, the limit switch 34 is turned off and the output of the sky detection signal is cut off, so that the hall computer 18 cuts off the power supply to the solenoid 19, and accordingly, the rotating body 22 is prohibited from rotating. Then, the supply of the pachinko balls from the ball supply device 13 to the tank 11 is stopped.

Further, the out balls that have been out on the pachinko machine 12 pass through the out counter 20. At this time, the limit switch 23
Since an out count signal indicating the number of out balls is output from, the computer for hall 18 can count the number of out balls based on this. Therefore, the hall computer 18 can determine the operating status of the pachinko machine based on the safe count signal and the out count signal.

Next, if a special prize occurs and pachinko balls are continuously emitted from the pachinko machine, the pachinko balls are continuously emitted from the device body 24 to the pachinko machine, but this is the case. However, since a predetermined number of pachinko balls are stored in the device body 24, the pachinko balls can be supplied to the pachinko machine without delay.

In short, according to the above configuration, when the number of pachinko balls stored in the device body 24 decreases from the predetermined number, the response member 30 quickly moves downward due to its own weight, and the device body 24 also has a pachinko ball. When a predetermined number is stored, the responding member 30 is quickly moved upward, and the limit switch 34 is turned on / off in response to this to control the driving of the ball supply device 13, so that the device main body 24 always has a predetermined number. While accumulating pachinko balls, it is possible to quickly deal with the shortage of pachinko balls. Therefore, unlike the conventional example in which the number of pachinko balls stored in the tank fluctuates greatly, it is possible to suppress that fluctuation as much as possible, and thus the timing at which the prize balls are released from the pachinko machine and the pachinko balls stored in the prize ball storage tank. The timing at which the balls are supplied can be matched as much as possible. Further, since a predetermined number of pachinko balls can be stored in the tank 11, it becomes possible to continuously supply the pachinko balls to the pachinko machine.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Only different parts will be described below. That is, the device body 24
Uses the bottom surface 11b of the prize ball storage tank 11,
The bottom surface of the prize tank 11 is the bottom surface of the ball passage 27.

According to the second embodiment, the pachinko balls supplied from the ball supply device 13 are directly received by the bottom surface 11b of the prize ball storage tank 11 and then stored in the ball passage 27 in a predetermined number. As in the first embodiment, it is possible to quickly deal with the shortage of pachinko balls while simplifying the configuration of the above.

In each of the above embodiments, the responding member 30 is rotatably provided, but instead of this, the responding member 30 is provided so as to be vertically movable,
The limit switch 34 may be operated according to the movement.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the prize ball shortage detection device for the pachinko game machine of claim 1, the prize ball shortage detection device moves upward above the ball passage in the device body according to the number of stored pachinko balls. In addition to providing a response member, a detection switch that is turned on / off in response to the upward movement of the response member is provided, so that while the predetermined number of pachinko balls are stored in the prize ball storage tank, it is possible that the stored pachinko balls are insufficient. It has an excellent effect that it can be detected quickly.

According to the prize ball shortage detection device for a pachinko game machine of claim 2, the structure of the device body can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a main part, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, FIG. 3 is a perspective view, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration. FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 6 and 7 are equivalent to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example. In the figure, 11 is a prize ball storage tank, 11b is a bottom surface, 12 is a pachinko machine, 13 is a ball supply device, 24 is a device body, 27 is a ball passage, 30 is a response member, and 34 is a limit switch (detection switch). .

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A method for detecting an insufficient supply of pachinko balls to be supplied into a prize ball storage tank arranged on the back side of a pachinko machine, wherein the pachinko balls to be supplied to the tank are arranged in the tank. A device main body having a ball passage for storing a predetermined number of the stored pachinko balls and sending the stored pachinko balls to the pachinko machine, and depending on the number of the storage pachinko balls provided above the ball passage in the device main body. An award ball shortage detecting device for a pachinko game machine, comprising: a responding member that moves upwards by a vertical direction; 2. The ball passage bottom surface of the apparatus main body uses the bottom surface of the prize ball storage tank.
An award ball shortage detection device for the described pachinko game machine.